Foreign Minister rejects President Biden’s statement on PM Orbán
March 14th, 2024On the opposition-leaning ATV channel, Foreign Minister Péter Szíjjártó explained why the US ambassador was summoned to his ministry on Tuesday.
In an interview with ATV News, the foreign minister said Hungary is not obliged to accept ’such lies even if they are voiced by the President of the United States himself’.
Addressing a campaign rally on Friday last week, President Biden said ’You know who he /Donald Trump/ is meeting with today down in Mar-a-Lago? Orbán of Hungary, who’s stated flatly that he doesn’t think democracy works, he’s looking for dictatorship.’ On Tuesday, State Secretary Levente Magyar asked Mr Pressman to indicate when Mr Orbán said anything similar. The US embassy spokesman then said the ambassador ’always welcomes opportunities to discuss the state of democracy in Hungary with our ally.’
The Foreign Minister also reacted with bewilderment to a statement by the US Ambassador who said a dictatorship is being built in Hungary, adding that this is the official US position. Such declarations, Mr Szíjjártó said, are great hindrances in bilateral relations and offend the population that voted Hungary’s current leaders into office.